Disney Wants Drew Struzan To Make New Star Wars Posters
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If you were worried that Disney wouldn’t keep the integrity of the newly acquired Star Wars franchise, then here’s something that might make you feel better about it. Disney has approached legendary poster artist Drew Struzan to do the artwork for their new Star Wars films. He was responsible for poster artwork for all six existing Star Wars movies and it looks like he may be responsible for a few more.
In an interview with Fanhattan.com, the 65-year-old poster artist says he was approached to come out of retirement for Episode VII. Struzan recalls:
I got a couple calls already this week on Star Wars from Disney. Oh my god, I’m trying to be retired! You know, I spent 35 years painting Star Wars. [laughs] I painted Star Wars before most of you were born! But I guess there is always a chance. There’s no intention. But I would love to have a day off every now and again, and I have to work a weekend and all through the night. If the opportunity arises, it will be a real temptation. But it’s going to have to be a real temptation to get me away from my wife and my little grandkids and my family. Away from the green trees and the blue skies for a change instead of just locked in the studio. But, you know, never say never. All things are possible.
It’s great to see that Disney wants to make these new Star Wars films right. Although the new films won’t have the iconic Twentieth Century fanfare before the movie starts, it will most likely feature music from John Williams, an opening scroll, and a title card that reads, “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.” These are staples of the Star Wars franchise, and hopefully Drew Struzan will rejoin the franchise’s production.
Drew Struzan is a legend in the movie-poster industry. Although he did not create the original Star Wars poster art in 1977, he was later hired by George Lucas to do the poster art for the film’s 1978 re-release. Since then, he has created iconic posters for the Indiana Jones series, Back to the Future, Blade Runner, and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Struzan retired in 2008 but had come out of retirement to work with the Alamo Drafthouse’s boutique poster company, Mondo.
